Small Business Framework - Research - The Legal Services Board
Small Business Framework - Research - The Legal Services Board
Small Business Framework - Research - The Legal Services Board
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activities" of" a" business" unit" as" a" whole," and" not" just" at" a" branch," plant" or"<br />
subsidiary" level." In" exploring" legal" risk" management" and" problem" resolution"<br />
strategies,"it"is"likely"that"there"will"be"significant"correlation"between"different"<br />
sections" of" single" enterprises," with" key" decisions" often" being" centralised."<br />
Nevertheless,"as"we"detail"in"Section"5,"it"is"important"that"benchmarking"data"<br />
collected"from"businesses"are"collected"from"appropriate"sources,"and"these"may"<br />
extend"downwards"within"businesses.""<br />
" Single]person" businesses," often" referred" to" as" self]employment," are"<br />
included"within"the"above"definition."Although"single]person"businesses"can"also"<br />
involve" part]time," or" intermittent" activities," they" make" up" a" significant"<br />
proportion"of"all"enterprises"and"are"likely"to"be"among"the"least"sophisticated"in"<br />
their" understanding" of" the" legal" and" regulatory" framework" within" which" the"<br />
operate," as" well" the" least" able" to" independently" deal" with" adverse" justiciable"<br />
issues." It" is," therefore," recommended" that" data" be" collected" to" allow" single]<br />
person"businesses"to"be"distinguished"from"other"micro"businesses"within"any"<br />
sample"of"businesses."<br />
It" is" also" recommended" that" data" be" collected" to" allow" distinction"<br />
between"businesses"on"the"basis"of"turnover"and"balance"sheet"value."This"will"<br />
enable" reporting" to" be" undertaken" using" the" EU" definition," for" more" wide"<br />
ranging"comparability,"and"provide"a"more"nuanced"approach"to"distinguishing"<br />
between"types"of"business"within"future"benchmarking"exercises.""<br />
" Finally,"we"recommend"that"the"<strong>Legal</strong>"<strong>Services</strong>"<strong>Board</strong>"first"attend"to"the"<br />
benchmarking" of" micro," and" then" small," businesses," as" defined." <strong>The</strong>re" are" two"<br />
main"reasons"for"this."First,"as"suggested"above,"it"is"the"smallest"businesses"that"<br />
are"likely"to"face"most"difficulty"in"recognising"the"justiciable"issues"they"face"as"<br />
justiciable,"and"in"accessing"legal"services"when"needed."Second,"as"is"detailed"in"<br />
Section" 5," additional" methodological" challenges" attach" to" the" collection" of"<br />
comprehensive" data" from" larger" organisations." In" short," as" businesses" become"<br />
larger," there" is" less" scope" for" collecting" data" through" a" single" point" of" contact."<br />
Experience"and"knowledge"become"diffuse."Responsibilities"narrow."""<br />
In" summary," in" relation" to" defining" small" businesses," the" following" is"<br />
proposed."<br />
"<br />
• <strong>The</strong>"employment"criteria"of"the"current"EU/BIS"definitions"are"used"as"<br />
the"basis"for"defining"and"segmenting"businesses"for"benchmarking."<br />
• Definitions/segmentations"should"apply"to"businesses"as"a"whole,"not"<br />
branches,"plants"or"subsidiaries."<br />
• Single]person" businesses" are" included" in" the" definition," with" data"<br />
collected"to"enable"their"identification."<br />
• Data" are" collected" on" business" turnover" and" balance" sheet" values," to"<br />
enable"analysis/reporting"using"EU"definitions."<br />
"<br />
" "<br />
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